Hello,

Thank you to everyone who called or emailed assemblymembers directly or during a CNA phone bank in support of CalCare. Thanks also to folks who visited their assemblymember’s office and shared messages on social media. Despite our advocacy, Speaker Robert Rivas and the Assembly Rules Committee did not refer AB 1900, CalCare to the Assembly Health Committee and therefore it will not move forward. Read CNA’s press release HERE.

Health Care for US is extremely frustrated with the leaders of the California Democratic Party who blocked CalCare. Despite the growing need for health care financing reform, presence of single-payer in the California Democratic Party Platform, increased pro-CalCare input from constituents and more co-authors than previous CaCare bills; our leaders are abandoning us.

HC4US board members hosted casual parties in the homes of people in LA County to educate them about CalCare. Then our recording secretary, Alex Safford Hornor organized volunteers from these parties to phone bank for AB 1900, resulting in our phone bankers and HC4US board members making a total of 252 calls. We also asked our email subscribers to make phone calls, providing the names and numbers of assemblymembers and scripts.   

We visited local assemblymembers’ offices and inspired our followers on Facebook and Instagram. Gina Viola, our co-chair, informed listeners about CalCare on two podcasts this year.

Last year HC4US joined a new coalition named CUSP, California United for Single Payer. We participated in the CUSP Health Care Day of Action at the Capitol in Sacramento on March 20th by tabling, taking “People’s Summons” to legislators’ offices and speaking out for CalCare.

On February 21st at the California Democratic Party Convention, our digital billboard truck and volunteers rallied for CalCare in San Francisco (see photo in last section). 

CalCare has been introduced by Ash Kalra into the California Assembly three times since 2021. The path to CalCare becoming law has been shortened each time by the Democratic-majority Assembly. California has a long history of health care reform bills failing to become law before CalCare. The dates and history of all bills can be found on the HC4US website.

In 2018 during his gubernatorial campaign, Gavin Newsom pledged to create a single-payer system for California per Dan Walters of CalMatters. Newsom’s first term started in 2019 and his second term in 2023 with three CalCare bills introduced during his tenure. After we elected him, Gavin Newsom has done nothing to fulfill his single-payer promise. Norman Solomon of RootsAction reviews Newsom’s corporate-friendly political approach.

HC4US questions the timing and sincerity of Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Rick Zbur who both signed on as AB 1900 co-authors a few days before April 17th when the Speaker’s office said CalCare wouldn’t be referred to the Rules Committee. Instead of signing on sooner after CalCare was introduced on February 12th, did they become co-authors knowing the bill would crash a few days later? This gives Wiener and Zbur the appearance of supporting single-payer when they don’t have a track record of actually working to help it become law. 

Why do you think some Democratic assemblymembers are against CalCare?

1. They don’t believe Californians are experiencing negative health outcomes, earlier deaths and medical debt.

2. They don’t want to lose campaign contributions from health insurance companies, hospital associations and pharmaceutical companies.

3. They believe the profits of corporations are more important than the health of Californians. 

4. They knew they had enough votes for CalCare to pass in the Assembly but…..they took orders from Governor Newsom who didn’t want a strong single-payer bill brought to his desk to sign or reject. 

5. All of the above.

Even though trust in our elected officials is diminished, trust in our fellow activists is strong. We will take a break, re-group and keep up the fight. Working for an affordable and equitable health care financing system that will save lives and improve the quality of our lives in California is worthwhile. We know health care is a human right and we deserve it!

ORGANIZE. AGITATE. EDUCATE. LEGISLATE.

THANK YOU!